Has anyone ever had a “wound vac” before skin graft surgery?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Has anyone ever had a “wound vac” before skin graft surgery?

  • Post
    • August 5, 2015 at 1:57 pm
    Christine.P
    Participant

      My surgeon predicts the very large melanoma on my right calf a few inches above my ankle is going to need a skin graft and plan to use a wound vac for about two weeks to see if he can "close" the wound a little more before performing the graft. 

      Has anyone ever had one of these? What is it like to live with a tube coming out of your leg? Any pain or just an inconvenience (e.g., no showers for 2 weeks, etc.)? 

      Thank you!

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    • Replies
        • August 5, 2015 at 3:38 pm
        mrsaxde
        Participant

          I walked around with a wound vac for about a month last fall, after a skin graft on my back failed. Once you get used to the feeling of it tugging on your skin, it's not too bad. The biggest pain is when the tube clogs or the seal fails. Those issues drove me crazy.

          Tip: If your insurance doesn't cover a wound vac, or if you have a policy that doesn't pay much of the cost, look into buying one on ebay, rather than renting. Depending on how long you need it, you could come out ahead by buying one, then reselling it later.

          My insurance picked up 80% of the cost of both the vac and the supplies. And I was still left with a bill of close to $800. You can get these on ebay for not a lot more than that.

            • August 5, 2015 at 9:19 pm
            Christine.P
            Participant

              Thank you for this info. So, what happens when the tube clogs or the seal fails? I'm pretty squeamish! 

              • August 5, 2015 at 10:58 pm
              mrsaxde
              Participant

                When the tube clogs, you have to "strip" the tubing. That involves taking your fingers, and squeezing the tube, then sliding them from the area of the clog towards the collection canister. It's not a big deal. I had an advantage in dealing with this, as my wife is an RN. She visited the wound center at the hospital where she works and had the nurses there show her how to deal with these things.

                If the seal fails, the only option is to redo the dressing. After my wife got used to doing that, we didn't have many problems with the seal. But when we first started, it was a  challenge! If you have a visiting nurse doing this, or someone in a wound center who has a lot of experience in dealing with wound vacs, you shouldn't have any problems.

                • August 6, 2015 at 10:33 pm
                Christine.P
                Participant

                  Thank you for this information. I am supposed to have a visiting nurse (I suppose it will depend on my insurance). If the seal fails, I'm going to have to go in to have someone change the dressing. I am not sure I can do that myself (I live alone). I am only supposed to have mine for 2 weeks, so maybe it will hold? I hope!

                  • August 6, 2015 at 10:33 pm
                  Christine.P
                  Participant

                    Thank you for this information. I am supposed to have a visiting nurse (I suppose it will depend on my insurance). If the seal fails, I'm going to have to go in to have someone change the dressing. I am not sure I can do that myself (I live alone). I am only supposed to have mine for 2 weeks, so maybe it will hold? I hope!

                    • August 6, 2015 at 10:33 pm
                    Christine.P
                    Participant

                      Thank you for this information. I am supposed to have a visiting nurse (I suppose it will depend on my insurance). If the seal fails, I'm going to have to go in to have someone change the dressing. I am not sure I can do that myself (I live alone). I am only supposed to have mine for 2 weeks, so maybe it will hold? I hope!

                      • August 5, 2015 at 10:58 pm
                      mrsaxde
                      Participant

                        When the tube clogs, you have to "strip" the tubing. That involves taking your fingers, and squeezing the tube, then sliding them from the area of the clog towards the collection canister. It's not a big deal. I had an advantage in dealing with this, as my wife is an RN. She visited the wound center at the hospital where she works and had the nurses there show her how to deal with these things.

                        If the seal fails, the only option is to redo the dressing. After my wife got used to doing that, we didn't have many problems with the seal. But when we first started, it was a  challenge! If you have a visiting nurse doing this, or someone in a wound center who has a lot of experience in dealing with wound vacs, you shouldn't have any problems.

                        • August 5, 2015 at 10:58 pm
                        mrsaxde
                        Participant

                          When the tube clogs, you have to "strip" the tubing. That involves taking your fingers, and squeezing the tube, then sliding them from the area of the clog towards the collection canister. It's not a big deal. I had an advantage in dealing with this, as my wife is an RN. She visited the wound center at the hospital where she works and had the nurses there show her how to deal with these things.

                          If the seal fails, the only option is to redo the dressing. After my wife got used to doing that, we didn't have many problems with the seal. But when we first started, it was a  challenge! If you have a visiting nurse doing this, or someone in a wound center who has a lot of experience in dealing with wound vacs, you shouldn't have any problems.

                          • August 5, 2015 at 9:19 pm
                          Christine.P
                          Participant

                            Thank you for this info. So, what happens when the tube clogs or the seal fails? I'm pretty squeamish! 

                            • August 5, 2015 at 9:19 pm
                            Christine.P
                            Participant

                              Thank you for this info. So, what happens when the tube clogs or the seal fails? I'm pretty squeamish! 

                            • August 5, 2015 at 3:38 pm
                            mrsaxde
                            Participant

                              I walked around with a wound vac for about a month last fall, after a skin graft on my back failed. Once you get used to the feeling of it tugging on your skin, it's not too bad. The biggest pain is when the tube clogs or the seal fails. Those issues drove me crazy.

                              Tip: If your insurance doesn't cover a wound vac, or if you have a policy that doesn't pay much of the cost, look into buying one on ebay, rather than renting. Depending on how long you need it, you could come out ahead by buying one, then reselling it later.

                              My insurance picked up 80% of the cost of both the vac and the supplies. And I was still left with a bill of close to $800. You can get these on ebay for not a lot more than that.

                              • August 5, 2015 at 3:38 pm
                              mrsaxde
                              Participant

                                I walked around with a wound vac for about a month last fall, after a skin graft on my back failed. Once you get used to the feeling of it tugging on your skin, it's not too bad. The biggest pain is when the tube clogs or the seal fails. Those issues drove me crazy.

                                Tip: If your insurance doesn't cover a wound vac, or if you have a policy that doesn't pay much of the cost, look into buying one on ebay, rather than renting. Depending on how long you need it, you could come out ahead by buying one, then reselling it later.

                                My insurance picked up 80% of the cost of both the vac and the supplies. And I was still left with a bill of close to $800. You can get these on ebay for not a lot more than that.

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